Roadworks to create a new roundabout at the entrance to a busy industrial estate get under way from September 10 - and are likely to cause 13 weeks of disruption.

Works to build a new roundabout on the A1066 will last 13 weeks. Picture: Rebecca Murphy

A roundabout costing in the region of £1.5m is to be built on the A1066 Mundford Road at Thetford, at its junction with Wyatt Way, as part of a scheme designed to prepare the town for significant growth in the coming years.

However, concerns have been raised about how delivery of the project, which is near to the A11, will impact on businesses on the Fison Way Industrial Estate - particularly those that rely heavily on traffic movement.

The works will see the junction into Wyatt Way closed to traffic, with access to the industrial estate limited to the Fison Way junction.

Graham Leopard, director of UFS Ltd, a freight company based in the estate, said the words would be “a major inconvenience”.

He said: “Traffic is bad enough already in the area and to me it seems strange to build one roundabout so close to the existing one on the A11. Personally, I feel a traffic light system would have been a better idea.

“We are a freight company, so access to the estate is crucial for us, I hope the delays won’t result in us losing business, but they will certainly have a big impact.”

Roy Brame, Thetford mayor though, has said the 13 weeks of disruption will be a small price to pay for the project’s desired end result.

He said: “At long last somebody is putting a spade in the ground. The 13 weeks of disruption will put an in to the industrial estate which I think will help attract new businesses.

“For me, this is the first step towards the town becoming ‘destination Thetford’, as opposed to ‘corridor Thetford’.

While Wyatt Road is closed, diversions will be put in place for traffic.

A spokesman for Norfolk County Council said: “These measures are essential to safety carry out the necessary works to the highway and to ensure traffic is kept flowing on the A1066 up to and from the A11.

“The county council thanks people for their patience while this junction improvement work is carried out.”